The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-09-17

putting one foot up on the chair by the
bed, resting his watch on his knee. He
addressed John, but kept his eyes on Nan
cys face, which was paliug and flushing
by turns.
II was carrying her in my arms after
we got her out, Sir, and her father says to
the policeman: where ought we take my
little girl; she's been nearly drowned and
hurt 2 Little girl p says the policeman,
take her to Gartside-street, the Children S
Hospital, out-patiepts' room, you know,
and so we does, and there was a van there,
and they told US to get in, and we was
drove here"
"Oh, 1 see, said the doctor, laying
down the hand he held and putting up his
watch.
$50 they took you for a real 'llttle girl,
instead of big little girl. dare say,
Sister, you and G. mentioning the other
surgeon) were only too delighted to get a
good case into your Special and forgot to
ask the agel Amy rise of temperature ?"
glaIciug at the chart over the bed,
"No," said the Sister"
f'Take her food wellq Let's see, milk
only, isn't itP Like it?" Nancy nodded.
"Yes," said the Sister again, aand she
sleeps well now.
"Ohl well she's doing very wel,' and
turning to John the doctor said those, to
him, routine words, but which lifted a load
off the poor fellows heast siIf she lies
still and does as she's told she II pull through
now, but you'd better stop now talking to
her, she's over-tiFed already. Say good
bye to your sister and come to tho out
patient room and give me your address"
"She's my sweetheart, Sir" said John,
slowly, looking at Nancy downcast eyelids
"Oh, ho!" said the doctor, glancing
sharply from one to the other. "Thep
MosF eeEtaiplg it's time you wept. Hou're
far too interestinga visitor for our patient" +"
But being a man of quick sympathy, and
although he was a doctor and Hman of
science" having sweetheart of his own,
he called the Sister outside the door as he
left to give the young things moment to
themselves while he impressed upon her
that Nancy must on no account attempt to
move.
1--WE shall have some mischief with that
broken rib unless we look ont: But so far
she's doing splendidIy.n
John caught the last words as he, too,
came out, and how they altered the look
of things for him
When he entered the room he dreaded
TO look at his poor-as he thought-dying
playmate. Now! He Strengthened him,
gelf UP and smiled back at Nancy, who
kissed her hand 10 him in the doorway
Nancy, who was really getting well and
would sooH be coming out all right, And
she was no longer his playmate, but was
his little sweetheart, and they had kissed
each other.
This bargee looked different man, as
he stepped briskly down the corridor be-
hind the doctor, feeling inclined to join in
the whistling Of aMy love is yaung and
fair" In which the young house surgeon
was indplging,
When he was going out Into tho glare
Of the sunshine on the gravel, after giving
the particulars about Nancys father, and
his profession, John looked straight at the
doctor, standing bareheaded on the steps,
and said:
"I'll be very grateful to you, Sir, if you'll
cure herr" and added by sudden inspir-
alton, !ishels all I've got to love, and I'll do
anything for you if you'll get her well,
Sir, I'm going to have barge of my own
next Spring. and I'll take better care Of
her after this"
"Oh SO Miss Nancy is to be Mrs. John
Thrupp, is she ?" laughed the doctor.
eyes, she is, Sir, q" returned John, laugh
ing too out of the joy and relief at his
heart.
As he ran down the road to catch the
tram that came jingling up, the clatter of
the horses hoofs and the bells on the
harness seemed to repeat the doctors capi-
tai suggestion, "Mrs John Thruppp'
The next visiting day, Sunday, John
Thrupp was again going from Manchester
to Pendlebury, on the top Of the tram, to
see Nancy. He was earlier this time.
The clock Of PeRdleton Church struck
three as they passed, He remembered
that, as he passed 1t again, going back.
There was no one on the bench that side
of the car, and John leaned back with both
arms over the seat and his hat tilted back
off his forehead, enjoying the sunshine and
easy swinging progress of the car. 1t was
like the gliding of his barge, but empha-
sized by the trot, trot Of the horses. As
the road grew pretty and tree-shaded after
the change of horses at Pendleton his
thoughts went back to the long Summer
afternoons he and Nancy had so often spent
together leaning over the side Of her
fathers barge as they slipped slowly
through the water below, which was painted
with little dahs of blue and red aud yellow
reflections of the gorgeous Windsor Castle
that decorated the barge stern, and In return
threw little curls and flashes of light over
the ideally green lawns and woods of the
picture.
He and old Battsen, his cousin, were
partners In this baFge-the "Get Away"
and lived on board; Nancy lived on shore
with her widowed sister, in one of the many
little red brick cottages that cluster along
the various "cuts" of the canals all over
England They generally piled backward
and forward on the Grand junction Canal,
near Uxbridge among fat meadows and
POLLARD willows, It was quite an exoep-
ton for her to have come all the way to
Manchester as she had done this time, and
she had slept on shore each night, in the
rough lodgings to be had along the canals
with old Battsen. But she spent all
her days on the "Get Away" keeping
house, as she called it, for her father |;
peeling the potatoes and washing up the
mugs in the gayly painted tin basins, and
keeping the little cabin as neat as man
oi-warsman. Sometimes she donned her
great check sunbonnet, and with little
red-and-black plaid shawl pinned across
her bosom, and clean white apron-the
outdoor, fuIl-dress costume of tidy barge
lass-she steered or walked along the path
behind "Old Soldier" the steady, powerful
old gray, who patiently trudged along in all
weathers, dragging the capacious monkey
boat with its varying loads. He didn't
need guiding, not even in the locks into
which he drew the barge, and then stood,
slowly munching out of his nose bucket,
NJ - I.I.u All l. = Ion-I